I am not sure how much bandwidth we are talking about but it wouldn't surprise me if its quite a bit more than £100 per month, which may not sound like much but thats £1200 a year, thats an awful lot of money.

Good point about the demographics, the site I was talking about is a student site where people don't have much money, most the subsribers are working now anyway.

There would have to be at least 20 subsribers to make the subsription areas active though, otherwise it would be a total waste of money.

I think its clear that adverts won't pay for the server they never do. Forums as a single entity are never profitiable, the student forum I am a member is is actually used as advertising station the owners business. It would be a bit like Sony sponsering this forum but that would spell the end for Zerogain as it would no longer  impartial.